Watch mounting



Aug. 16, 1932. A. E. MANHEIMER WATCH MOUNTING Filed Oct. 15, 1928 Patented Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHCE ARTHUR E. MANHEIMEB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MANI-IEIMER WATCH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS WATCH MOUNTING Application filed October 15, 1928. Serial No. 312,497.

This invention relates to improvements in watch mountings, and more particularly to improvements in means for mounting a watch or similar article in or on practically any desired object which is equipped previously with a part of the means embodied in the present invention, although the invention has many and varied uses as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, various means have been employed for the attachment of watches and the like to various articles, but these means have in most instances proven objectionable, in that the watches so attached if removable were not removable with as great facility as is desired, nor were the attachment means, in most cases, as invisible or unnoticeable as is desirable to maintain the attractiveness of both the article and the watch. It frequently happened that these formerly known attachment means, although they effectively held the watch in position, nevertheless detracted materially from the pleasing external appoarance of the article and watch. v t

It frequently becomes desirable, due to various circumstances, for a party wearing a watch on the wrist, on a sautoir, or in a similar manner to place the watch in a handbag, wallet or some suitable object of any similar nature. Obviously, for the safekeeping and benefit of the watch the same should be positively secured in a fixed position to the article preferably in the usual angle of repose. Obviously the means for so mounting the watch must be easily accessible and yet not detract, but if possible enhance the composite appearance of the article and watch.

With the foregoing in view, the present invention seeks the provision of means for mounting a watch or the like in or on an article in such a manner that the watch may be plainly visible to the user, while the mount-- ing means are substantially invisible though none theless effective, whereby the appearto provide means for attachment of a watch to a desired article in such a mannerthat the body of-the watch will appear flush with a face of the article, the attaching means being substantlally invisible from the aforesaid face.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision, for certain types of articles to which a watch may be attached, of

an attractive element to substitute for the watch when the latter is removed from the article, so that the appearance of the article at all times ,is pleasing.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of means embodying the present invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the followingdisclosure.

The invention includes these and other features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and shown in a preferred form in the drawing, as more particularly indicated by the claims.

On the drawing: 7

Figure 1 is a front view in elevation of an article with a watch attached thereto by means embodying principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of the upper right hand portion of the article and watch as the same is viewed in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the upper portion of the structure shown in Figure 1 taken from the left thereof. r

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line VV in Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line VIVI in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of one form of an object designed to take the place of the watch when the latter is removed trom the article.

As shown on the drawing: I

The structure arbitrarily chosen to illustrate an embodiment of the present invention includes an automatic lighter of the type commonly used to ignite cigars, cigarettes and the like, having a casing 1, a portion of which is inwardly turned to provide a pocket or recess 2 for the reception of a watch 3. At the outset, it is to he clearly understood that although the mounting means to be later described herein are shown as attaching a watch to an automatic lighter in the present instance, these mounting means may be incorporated with any desired article or object such for example, as a ladys purse, a wallet, an article of clothing, etc. It should also be clearly understood that the article to which the watch may be attached may be formed of any desired material such as leather, metal, a condensation product, -etc., all being adaptable for the proper tunctioning'o'f the present invention.

It so desired standard shape watches and articles having standardly shaped recesses therein may be utilized, or the watch and the recess in an article may be matched, it being appreciated that a watch of any shape, size or character may be equipped with means embodying the present invention. In the present instance, as seen more clearly in Figures 2 and 5, the watch includes a case body 4, a back cover 5, and a'front cover or bezel 6 equipped with the customary crystal 7" therein.

Novel means are provided in the present invention for firmly holding the watch 3 within the recess 2 in the casing 1, in this instance a part of the means being-associated with the article or casing '1, and a part being associated intimatelywith the watch itself, these two parts being complimentary and readily cooperable to produce the desired results. Since identical structures are employed at adjacent opposite edges of both the watch 3 andrecess 2, it is only deemed necessary herein to describe the structure adjacent one edge of the watch and recess. As seen more clearly in Figures 5 and 6, the casing l is provided ad acent an edge of recess 2 wlth a tubular a narrow connecting portion 9 between the casing and the tubular or hollow element. In the present instance the tubular element 8 is shown as formed integral with the casing 1, but of course it is to be understood that this tubular element may be soldered to the casing adjacent each side of the recess 2, or secured thereto in any manner suitable for an economical, yet durable construction.

slot 10. As seenmore clearly in Figure 3, the

case body 1 is provided with a transverse notch 13 in communication with'the. keyhole slot 10 for a purpose that will later appear.

It will be seen that when the watch 3 is slid into the recess 2, the slot 10 receiving therein the tubular element 8, the watch will be firm- 1y held in fixed position within the recess. As indicated at 1 1 in Figure 2 the outer edge of the case body l of the watch will be substantially flush with the outer face of the casing 1 or the article to which the watch is secured. Means are provided in the present instance to prevent the watch from sliding laterally out of the, recess, these means including a pin 15. having an enlarged head 16 thereon which abuts the inner edge of the tubular portion 8 when the body of the pin 15 passes through the aperture in the tube 8 'and terminates in therecess 12 in the blank wall portion of the case body l. Transverselyextending from the enlarged head 16 of the pin is a detent 17 which, when the pin is 1'0- tated with the aid of an object inserted in a slot 18 in the outer face ofthe head 16 thereof, will engage in the notch 13 in the case body 4. to securely hold the watch against lateral movement.

To provide access for the pin 15 to its usetul position, the casing 1 is provided with a transversely extending groove 19 of a size suitable to substantially accommodate the enlarged head 16 of the pin, and an undercut groove 20 communicating with and parallel to the groove 19 is also provided to accommodate the detent 17 when the pin is slid into engagement with the-watch prior tothe turning ofthe pin. Of coursethecasing 1 is also provided: with a notch 21 Figure v3) similar to the notch 13 and in communication both with the undercut slot 20;and thenotch 13, to provide means for the detent 17 to leave the undercut slot 20 and transversely engage in the slot 13 when the pin is turned. Of course, the mounting means hereinabovedescribed are entirely sufficient to hold the watch within the recess 2, but/tor thepurposes of added safety and appearance it is preferable to provide the same mounting means adjacent the opposite edges of the watch and recess.

In operation the present invention is extremely simple. Assuming that the watch is securely mounted in the recess 2 and it is desired to remove the same, it is simply necessary to insert any suitable means in the slot 18 in the pin head and rotate the same, until the detent 17 rests in the undercut groove 20 in the casing 1. The watch may then be readily slipped from engagement with the tubular element 8 and entirely out of the recess. The pin or pins 15 are preferably left in the casing 1, and if so desired a monogram plate 22 or an equivalent ele ment may be inserted in the recess 2 in lieu of the watch now removed so as to retain the formerly attractive appearance of the casing 1. The monogram plate 22 is provided with a keyhole slot 10a and transverse notch 13a adjacent opposite edges thereof in the same manner as is the case body 4 of the watch. WVhen it is desired to mount either the monogram plate 22 or the watch 3 in the recess 2 it is simply necessary to slide the plate or watch transversely into the recess 2, the keyhole slots therein engaging over the tubular elements 8 projecting into the recess. The pins 15 are then rotated until the detents 17 engages in the transverse notches 13 or 13a as the case may be. It is to be noted that when mounting the watch or the plate in the recess 2 the pins need not be retracted, but the article with the keyhole slots will readily engage over the tubular elements 8 and the termini of the pins will readily seat themselves in the recesses in the closed wall ortion of the plate or case body. After the watch has been removed from the recess 2, the watch may be mounted on a wrist band, sautoir, or any desired similar objects by the means disclosed and described in my copending application for strap watch, filed May 26, 1928, Serial No. 280,786.

It is to be noted that the mounting means described herein are substantially invisible from any angle, only the tips of the detents 17 being discernible from the front of the composite article and watch, and only the outer face of the enlarged heads 16 of the pins 15 being discernible from the left hand side of the article and these of course are partly concealed due to the lengths of the groove 19.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided mounting means for the attachment of a watch to any desired article, whereby the watch may be quickly attached to the article or just as quickly and easily detached therefrom, and while on the article the watch is held in a fixed position and lends attractiveness to the composite picture of the article and watch mounted there- It is to be noted that the mounting means described hereinabove may not only be used for mounting a watch to a desired article, but may prove highly effective and suitable for selectively and removably uniting a desirable pair of objects of practically any character through an extremely wide range.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous detailsof construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. Means for attaching a watch to an article having a recess therein, including tubular means projecting into saidrecess and connected to said article by means of less width than said tubular'means, said watch having a keyhole slot therein to receive said tubular means, and a pin passable throughsaid means and engageable with said watch to retain the same in said recess.

2. Means for attaching a watch to an article having a recess therein, including a hollow element on said article projecting into said recess, said watch being insertable in said recess and having a keyhole slot therein engageable over said hollow element, said watch having a notch therein adjacent said slot, and means engageable with said hollow 100 element and said watch and rotatable into engagement with the notch in said watch to retain said watch in said recess.

3. Means for attaching a watch to an article having a recess therein for receiving said watch, including means projecting from one of said elements adjacent a wall of said recess, the other of said elements having a slot therein for slidably receiving said means,

and means to maintain the engagement be-- tween said first said means and said slot.

4. Means for attaching a watch to an article having a recess therein to receive said watch, including means projecting from said article into said recess from a wall thereof, said watch having a slot therein to slideably receive said projection, and means engageable with the inner part of said projection and lockably engageable with said watch to hold said watch in said recess.

5. Means for attaching a watch to an article having a recess adjacent a side thereof for receiving said watch, comprising a projection on said article extending into said recess, said watch having a slot therein to slideably receive said projection, whereby said watch may he slid laterally into said recess, and adjustable means movable to a posislot and projection.

6. Means fer attaching a iw a tch to an arbicle having a recess therein for receiving said watch, comprising .a hollow Vprpjection ex tending fr'o in said article into sjeid ,rece s s,vs a id Watchhaving a, .slohtherein to .slideabl'y receive said projection; and alsho uldereclrnemherv extending into saidprejeetioniand n qvable into lockable engagement vwith watch to maintain s aid watchin esaidv l'ecess.

7. Means for atfiachinge watch" t6 an af- 'tiele having a recesst-herein to receive .said watch, comprisingmeanseh one fsaid elements extending into said reQess,-the other of said elements having a slot. therein 'to slideably receive saidmeans, and a member engageable with the inner part of said means and lockingly engageable with saidother element. 1

In testimony whereof lfhave hereunto subscribed my name at ChicagoyCook County, Illinois.

HUR 1*?- A H MEB- 

